Chapter 28: Song Wei Seeks Apprenticeship, the Open Gambit Succeeds

Seeing Zhang Meng’s face flushed deep red and his body teetering, Qi Tian quickly released the pressure from his legs, jumped off, and began patting Zhang Meng on the back.

"Cough, cough, cough! Qi Tian, I never expected you to pull such a move at the end. You’re good—I surrender!"

The wave of nausea caused by oxygen deprivation forced Zhang Meng to hunch over and cough violently. As Qi Tian patted his back, he replied in a low, steady voice, "Under the constraints of the rules, I could never have defeated you, no matter how hard I tried. But the enemies we will face in the future are true criminals who kill without blinking; they don't care about rules. I won today because your mindset is still stuck in the mold of the sports academy, where you leave yourself an opening in both your attacks and your counters. Once you’re prepared to use your skills in a life-or-death struggle against vicious criminals, I might not be your match then."

Qi Tian wasn't flattering him; he was speaking the truth. This top-tier expert from the Donghai Sports Academy’s ancient martial arts program truly lived up to his reputation. Even with his own Elite-level combat skills, Qi Tian couldn't guarantee he could consistently overcome this powerhouse. Had Zhang Meng put his full, lethal strength into that earlier punch, Qi Tian’s arms likely would have been shattered. The force behind that blow had been terrifying.

The main reason Zhang Meng lost was that his moves were still tailored for competition—flashy and filled with unnecessary motions, targeting areas that wouldn't instantly neutralize an opponent. Of course, this was a friendly sparring match, so there was no need for lethal force. Just as Qi Tian had refrained from striking back when his own arms were free, the two were now brothers and comrades; a friendly exchange required restraint.

"It seems I have a long way to go before I can apply my skills to military service. Brother, I’ve learned my lesson," Zhang Meng said, his breathing steadying. After catching Qi Tian’s eye, he grabbed Qi Tian’s wrist and raised it high, declaring his defeat before the fourth move.

At that moment, the new recruits who had been watching in stunned silence finally came to their senses. Jiang Chong was the first to applaud, standing up and shouting Qi Tian’s name. A second later, the rest of the recruits followed suit. The look in their eyes was filled with even more worship and fervor than before. Yet, beneath that admiration lay a hint of awe—a respect born from witnessing true strength.

Defeating the top student of the Donghai Sports Academy’s ancient martial arts program in under four moves—such strength was truly terrifying. Song Wei, who had been the first to cheer for Qi Tian, gulped hard. Recalling his previous reckless provocations, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. If Qi Tian hadn't been so level-headed, he could have easily pinned him to the ground without any resistance.

Thinking of this, Song Wei’s eyes suddenly lit up. Seeing Qi Tian and Zhang Meng heading back, he darted out of the crowd, knelt on one knee before Qi Tian, and cupped his fists. "Brother Tian, I was blind before. You’re a big man with a generous heart—please don't hold it against me!"

"Wei, what are you doing? I said back at Cangshan that after tonight, we are all brothers. Are you worried I’d use my position as deputy squad leader or my combat skills to make your life difficult?" Qi Tian was baffled, reaching out to pull him up.

But Song Wei refused to move, speaking in a low, serious voice in front of everyone: "Brother Tian, take me as your disciple. Those two moves you pulled were too cool—the back-throw, the leg-lock—I really want to learn. If you agree, I’ll take care of all your chores, and I’ll do whatever you say. Deal?"

Qi Tian hadn't expected Song Wei to ask for an apprenticeship. He had only intended to use the spar to show off his skills and gain their admiration, which he could then use as leverage to have them study the manual. For example, he could offer to teach a move or two in exchange for them memorizing a section of the regulations. He never imagined the effect would be this explosive.

As more recruits swarmed forward, eager to follow suit, Qi Tian quickly hauled Song Wei to his feet and shouted to the crowd, "Everyone, stay calm! Forget about the apprenticeship. We’ll have combat training courses in the new recruit company soon enough. Our old squad leader will be teaching us. Anything I can teach you is just a few techniques I’ve researched myself, that's all. And of course, I’ll teach them to anyone—but the price is the regulation manual!"

"Brother Tian, what do you mean by trading for the manual?" Lin Meng asked, scratching his head in confusion. Everyone had a copy, and there were plenty of them; collecting them seemed pointless.

Seeing the misunderstanding, Qi Tian clarified, "I don't mean the books themselves; I mean memorizing the sections! Starting tonight, fifteen minutes before lights out, I’ll teach some practical counter-techniques on the field. If you want to learn, you must memorize twenty pages of the regulations. We’ll increase the count every day; if you can memorize more, I’ll teach you even better moves. How about it?"

"Brother Tian, are you serious?" Song Wei asked immediately. Seeing Qi Tian nod, he bolted toward the barracks.

To be honest, twenty pages a day was no small task. At this rate, they would finish the entire manual in less than ten days. Before tonight, even if the squad leaders had ordered them to do this, everyone would have found excuses to dodge it. But now, it was different. Qi Tian’s display of power had been overwhelming. Learning such skills would ensure they stood out in whichever company they were assigned to later. Faced with such temptation, twenty pages didn't seem so difficult anymore.

Influenced by Song Wei’s sprint back to the barracks, the recruits suddenly surged with energy, racing off to grab their manuals. Left standing alone in the center of the training field, watching them scramble, Qi Tian couldn't help but shake his head with a bitter smile. Is this the "bandwagon effect" brought on by being the strongest? It was... truly terrifying!